Thinking of Quitting?

Secret of the Century Divulged
    After your first year, the law school only requires a skeleton of required courses in order for you to graduate.  Outside of those few requirements, you can take whatever courses you want.  After the first year certain students will take off on a track of their own.  Main stream students will rarely see them again.  The majority of students will be taking the curriculum recommended by the law school and the Bar courses tested by the respective states where they plan to practice.
    But our off-the-track students will be taking paper courses.  Paper courses are courses that grade by written assignment rather than in-class final exams.  State constitution courses (e.g., Maryland Constitutional Law) and Indian Law are examples of paper courses.  These classes are notorious for handing out better grades than the mainstream courses.  Usually, because the student can bring the work to the Prof for critique, then go make the necessary changes, then bring the paper back for critique, then go make the necessary changes, etc.  By the time the final product is handed in, it has been reviewed by the Prof so many times it’s just as she wants it.  Thus, a good grade follows.  Many students on this track feel that it is the only avenue in law school where hard work is directly rewarded.
    There is a potential trade off, however.  If you plan on taking the Bar Exam and being a lawyer, you will have missed out on many of the Bar courses that will be tested by your state.  The Bar prep courses will bring you up to speed, but it will be more difficult for you than for the students who took those courses in law school.  This off-track-curriculum also distances the student from friends made the first year, since you will share few, if any classes.
    This is a scary track to take since those on it are going against the grain, and will be constantly reminded of such by their fellow students and others.  But people have done it successfully many times, and become lawyers.  People whose grades after first semester were very poor have taken the paper track after the first year, graduated on the dean's list, and passed the Bar on their first try -- I've seen it happen myself!  And remember, these off-the-track students will be able to practice any kind of law they desire once they graduate from law school and pass the Bar.  Their unusual course through law school will not be a career hindrance.